ACTIVISION NATIONAL ENDURO RULES AND REGULATIONS

Strap on your goggles. Sink into your seat. And leave all your fears in the pit. You're about to enter the race of your life. You'll be required to pass lots of cars each day. Through sun and snow and fog and ice, sunrise to sunset - as fast as you can, as long as you can. Welcome to the National Enduro!

ENDURO BASICS

1. Hook up your video game system. Follow manufacturer's instructions.
   
   
2. With power OFF, plug in game cartridge.
   
   
3. Turn Power ON. If no picture appears, check connection of your game system to your TV; then repeat steps 1-3.
   
   
4. Plug in LEFT Joystick Controller (right Controller is not used).
   
   
5. The difficulty switch and game select switch are not used.
   
   
6. To start, press game reset switch.
   
   
7. The Joystick Controller is held with the red button in the upper left position. Push the Joystick right or left to move your car right or left. The red button is your accelerator. The longer you keep the button depressed, the faster your car will go, until it reaches top speed. To coast at a constant speed, press the red button until desired speed is reached. When you release the button, this speed will be maintained. To slow down, release the red button and apply the brakes by pulling the Joystick back.
   
   
8. Passing cars. The number of cars you must pass is posted at the beginning of each day in the lower right corner of your instrument panel (200 the first day, 300 on subsequent days). Each time you pass a car, this meter counts off by one. When you pass the required number of cars, green flags appear. But keep going. All additional miles are added to your total. You'll move on to the next day when the present day ends. If you don't pass the required number of cars by daybreak, the game ends.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF ENDURO

Time of Day. From dawn till the black of night, you'll be on the road. Pay attention to the lighting and scenery. It represents the time of day, letting you know how much time is remaining. And, use caution at night. You can only see the tail lights of the other cars.

Weather conditions keep changing, so brace yourself. Can you hang in through ice and fog? A white, icy road means your car will be less responsive to your steering. A thick, fog-shrouded screen gives you less time to react, since it will take you longer to see the cars up ahead.

Days and miles. A realistic odometer registers the miles you've covered. Beneath the odometer is the day indicator, which keeps track of the number of days you've been on the Enduro circuit. When the race is over, the mileage on the odometer and the day on the indicator represent your racing results or score.

Increasing difficulty. The race gets tougher with each new day. The other cars travel faster and spread out across the road more and more, making it harder to pass them.

GETTING THE FEEL OF ENDURO RACING

In preparing for a race, every pro driver checks out the course. Be sure to do the same thing. Get to know the timing of the weather and lighting conditions. Learn how your car responds to your touch.

Slow down on the ice and keep your eyes on the patterns of cars in the distance. Drive defensively, since the other cars will not get out of your way. The fog will really test your reflexes. You'll need to slow down and develop a rapid steering response to make up for the limited visibility.

JOIN THE ACTIVISION 'ROADBUSTERS"

Do you have the drive, the stamina, the grit to endure this race for 5 days or more? If so, an on-screen racing trophy will pop up before your very eyes. Now you can join the "Roadbusters" and really start breaking records. Send us a photo of the TV screen showing your winning race results, along with your name and address, and we'll send you the official high performance emblem.

HOW TO BECOME A "ROADBUSTER"

Tips from Larry Miller, designer of Enduro

Larry Miller is a powerhouse game designer with a PhD in physics. When he isn't designing games, he may be sailing, skiing or playing the piano. His most recent hit was Spider Fighter.

"The best way to outlast other drivers is to pace yourself. You won't survive long if you stay at maximum speed because you'll keep hitting other cars. Go only as fast as it takes to pass the required number of cars each day.

"If you can choose between steering into the side of the road or hitting another car, always steer into the roadside. It's just a minor setback and you won't lose as much time.

"Also, it's always better to go around diagonally paired cars than to squeeze between them. But, if you must squeeze between them, keep your speed just above theirs and be careful!

"Here's another tip: If you approach a group of cars that are really blocking the road - slow down. Let them disappear back into the distance ahead of you. Then, accelerate. When you meet up with these cars again, they will probably have changed their positions.

"I hope you enjoy the National Enduro as much as I enjoyed designing it! Drop me a card from your next pit stop - I'd love to hear from you. And please, remember to fasten your seatbelts."